


Before the bloody headline

by isumi12



Series: Before the bloody headline [1]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Blood and Violence, Canon Era, Character Death, Heavy Angst, M/M, Stabbing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:15:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23816752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isumi12/pseuds/isumi12
Summary: What came before that headline?"Murder in shadowy alleyway in Manhattan."What came before that bloody headline?It was a normal day.And then it wasn'tI am no good with summaries but I promise it is good and sad
Relationships: Racetrack Higgins & Jack Kelly, also maybe not, could be implied romance, your choice - Relationship
Series: Before the bloody headline [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1715998
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Before the bloody headline

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys? Guess who's back! I hope you are all safe and are social distancing. I know these are scary times we live in but I love you guys and I hope you are all okay :)
> 
> So for now please take this horribly angsty rollercoaster ride. Enjoy
> 
> \- IC
> 
> (TRIGGER FOR BLOOD, INJURY, DEATH, AND SOME SEXUAL ASSULT TALK SO PLEASE BE WARNED)

What came before that headline? 

What came before that **bloody** headline?

_It was a normal day._

In all regards, it was a great day to be selling. Interesting headline _**(triple homicide in Queens)**_ , good weather, and the price was _finally_ back where it belonged. Race chatted with Al in line swatting away his hands flying at his unlit cigar in his mouth. "Honestly race, whats the point of havin' a cigar that ain't even lit," Al teased. "I like the taste Al don't judge me," Race knocked his hat off and ran to the newsies stand to escape Al's wrath. Race crashes into Jack's back by accident and stumbled back a bit, "Ay Race cut it out some of us are tryin' to get our papes," "Ah shit, sorry Jack but Al-," Jack interrupts him with a slight shove, "Ya, ya racer jus' stop falling for me a'ight?" The boys laughed while Race just looked away hiding his red face. He knows Jack was just playing around with him _but that didn't make it any better._

"Whatever Jack," he pushed Jack out of the way, earning a chuckle from him and locked eyes with an annoyed Oscar Delancey. "Hey wheres the weasel? Out with a dame?" Race teased. Oscar rolled his eyes, "its Weisel and he's visiting family, heard of those?" Race clenched his jaw but let it go, he was used to the comments at this point. _But that didn't make it any better_. "So creative I could see the smoke from ya brain trying to come up with that one," he retorted earning a laugh from the boys. "I'll have 30 papes," he tossed his coins to Oscar and after he fumbled with them for a bit motioned for Morris to get the papers. "You're a real piece of shit Race ya know that?" Oscar bit out. "Thats not what ya mother' tol' me last night," Race snatched his papes and ran laughing away from the newsstand. Leaving an enraged Oscar and groups of newsies laughing. 

It was a regular selling day, everything was perfect. 

_And then, it wasn't._

He was done selling at Sheepshead and at a quarter past three started walking to Jacobis for lunch. It was blistering hot and he just craved some cold water and a sandwich. Two blocks away he could practically hear the newsies laughter and smell the food and restrained himself from running. **(He should have just gone running)** When suddenly, he got a feeling he couldn't very well describe other then that of being followed. He stopped and looked around and heard a noise in the alleyway two buildings down from the deli. He went to investigate, assuming it was a hungry little kid scavenging the dumpster for leftovers. So he was very much alarmed seeing Oscar Delancey just standing there. Waiting. "What the hell Oscar, walking through the shadows like some creep," Race tried to cut the tension but it was so thick only a knife could cut it **(and a knife did cut it)**. "No more games Racer, you is gonna get whats coming to ya," Oscar started putting on his brass knuckles while Race tried to back away slowly, "woah there oscar, relax you wouldn't want Weisel to get you two in trouble right?" Oscar smiled devilishly, _"He ain't here anymore."_

Race felt an exploding pain on the right side of his face as Oscar's brass knuckles connected with his cheek. Race staggered a bit but dodged Oscars next punch and ht him square in the jaw and gave him a quick kick in the stomach, causing him to clutch his abdomen in pain. Race took this opportunity to kick him again but Oscar grabbed his leg and slammed him down, pinning him on the ground. "You know? You's actually kinda pretty all bruised up like this," Oscar taunted. "Get off of me you piece of shit!" Race screamed and thrashed as hard as he could until Oscar slammed him back down, causing him to see black spots all around. He knew he would loose consciousness soon if he didn't do something but there was nothing he could do, so he accepted his fate that maybe he wasn't going to walk away from this fight, at least not all in one piece.

He braced for the final blow but none came cause running down the alley and onto Oscars back came Jack, "GET YOUR GREASY HANDS OFFA HIM!" he threw Oscar on the ground and they both tumbled back and forth in the struggle. Race could do nothing but watch **(he wish he could have done something more)**. He heard Jack cry out and fall back and Race's heart lept to his throat, afraid he took a bad hit but when he sat back up and saw them all he could see was a limping Jack standing above an unconscious and bloodied Oscar. Race got up slowly and laughed a sigh of relief, "You's a hero jack! You really showed him, lets get outta here," and with that started walking as fast as he could out of the alleyway. "I'll even buy ya a sandwich for saving the damsel in distresses life," he turned around but found he was walking by himself.

Confused, he ran back to the scene to find Jack still standing over Oscars bloody body. "Come on Jack, shows ova' Ya' did good." No response. Race cautiously started walking towards him and placed his hand on his shoulder, "Jack, its okay, See? I's okay and Osca' will be fine lets just go-" Race stopped mid sentence when Jack turned around and found that what he couldn't see was a growing red patch of blood, blooming on his abdomen, and a bloody knife in Oscar's limp hand. His knees buckled and he fell into Race's arms, yelping like a wounded animal. Race screamed, screamed louder then he ever had. "SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME! he tried to use his paper bag to put pressure on the stab wound but it only did so much. "Jack! It's gonna be okay, just stay awake Kelly, please I am begging you jus' stay awake fer me," Race couldn't keep it together, he held Jack in his arms, Jack shushed him and cupped his bruised cheek in his hand, wiping away the tears Race had begun to shed. "I-its okay Race, we- we both know I wouldn't have gone out withoutta fight," he chuckled and started to cough, and Race tried to not stare at the blood forming at the creases of his mouth. "No. I won't let ya, I ain't gonna let ya die here. Not like this, not alone." Race cried out for help and tried to get Jack to stand up and run to Jacobis for help but Jack ushered for him to stay. Gripping his hand and putting it against his own cheek, "I ain't alone Racer, I's dyin' in the arms of my brother and I couldn'tve asked for a better way to go," Jack slurred and lolled his head. "NO! No, come on fight it Kelly. I can't- I can't lose you. I ain't the reason you'll be dead I won't let ya you asshole," he cried out clinging onto his brother, deep down knowing this was the last time he might hold his Jack.

Jack who took him in. Jack who taught him out to sell papers. Jack who taught him how to fight **(how he wished he taught him how to win)**. Jack who had taught him all he knew. _His Jack who he loved more then anyone._

Jack consoled him, "shhhh, its okay, just stay with me, I-I won't eva leave you. I'll always be right here," Jack pointed to Race's chest and Race started sobbing. He saw the life leaving Jacks eyes and knew it was too late for him. He kissed his forehead gently and cradled the man who taught him everything he knew in his arms. "I's love you Jack," Race choked out. Jack raised his hand to Races cheek, and took in his brother for the last time. He smiled softly, "I love you too Tony," he breathed out.

And then it was silence. 

All the newsies heard from Jacobis were the piercing wails coming from down the street. 

**Next days headline would read: "Murder in shadowy alleyway in Manhattan."**

All Race could hear was the pounding in his ears as he held Jack's limp body in his arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you guys for reading! part two is in the works mwahahahaha. Please leave kudos and comments because I love hearing from you guys!
> 
> All my love, 
> 
> IC


End file.
